The evening had arrived, and the air around Romi felt heavy with anticipation. She knew it was time. She had debated this moment for weeks, but she could no longer delay it. Her heart beat fast as she turned to Sebastian, who was sitting next to her.
“Seb, I think I’m ready,” Romi said quietly, her fingers twisting the hem of her sleeve.
Sebastian looked at her, his eyes filled with understanding. “Are you sure? We can go together. I’ll be right by your side.”
Romi shook her head, her decision firm. “No, I need to do this myself. I’ll go to their house first, and you can just follow me. I need to tell them on my own terms.”
Sebastian hesitated, clearly wanting to be there for her, but he respected her choice. “I’ll be right behind you,” he promised.
With a deep breath, Romi stood up and walked out of the room, her heart pounding in her chest. She had to do this. It was time her family knew the truth—about her pregnancy, about everything.
As she made her way to the Delacruz Estate, Romi felt a slight twinge in her stomach. It was small at first, nothing more than a dull ache, but it was enough to make her pause for a moment. She dismissed it, chalking it up to nerves. She was about to confront her parents with something they might not want to hear, and the weight of it all was enough to make her stomach churn.
By the time Romi reached the Delacruz Estate, the pain had intensified. She walked through the front door, trying her best to mask the discomfort she was feeling. Nico was sitting in the living room, and his eyes flicked up when he saw her.
“Romi, you okay?” Nico asked, his tone laced with concern as he noticed the strain on her face.
Romi forced a smile, though it was weak. “Yeah, just a little tired,” she said, trying to brush it off. She wasn’t sure if she could explain the cramping to him without sounding alarmed.
“Mom and Dad aren’t back yet,” Nico informed her, his eyes narrowing slightly. “They’re out, but they should be home soon.”
Romi nodded, trying to steady herself. She had to wait just a little longer before she could tell them. The minutes stretched into what felt like hours, and the pain in her stomach grew worse.
She sat down on the couch, her hands pressed against her abdomen as she tried to calm herself. The cramps were sharp now, more intense. But it wasn’t just the physical pain that had her on edge; it was the looming conversation with her parents. The uncertainty of how they would react made her stomach turn even more.
Suddenly, the worst pain yet struck, and Romi gasped, her hands flying to her stomach as a wave of dizziness hit her. She felt something warm between her legs, and her eyes widened in panic as she looked down. Blood.
No, not now, she thought desperately. Not when she was finally ready to tell them.
She stumbled to her feet, her vision blurry. Nico jumped up, his eyes wide with alarm when he saw the blood.
“Romi!” Nico called, rushing to her side. “What’s happening?”
Romi could barely answer, her breath coming in short gasps as panic set in. “I... I’m bleeding, Nico...” she managed to say, her voice trembling.
Without wasting a second, Nico grabbed his phone and dialed for a cab. He wasn’t sure what was happening, but he knew Romi needed medical attention immediately. “Come on, we need to get you to the hospital,” he said, his voice urgent as he guided her out of the house.
 
At the hospital, Nico stayed by Romi’s side as they rushed her in, his mind racing. He had no idea how serious it was, but all he knew was that he needed to keep her safe.
The doctors acted quickly, hooking her up to monitors and running tests, while Nico stood in the corner, his heart in his throat. He had never seen his sister like this before.
The waiting felt endless, and all the while, Romi’s thoughts raced. This wasn’t how she had planned for her family to find out. She wanted to tell them on her terms, with Sebastian by her side. But now, everything had changed.
 
Meanwhile, Sebastian had arrived at the estate, just moments after Romi had left. He hadn’t expected her to go alone, and as he pulled up, he noticed the tension in the air. Nico’s car was gone, and there was a strange feeling in the house.
He approached the door, knocking lightly before entering. “Raph? Mom? Dad?”
There was no response, but he was too late to catch them before they had left. Anxiety bubbled inside him.
He immediately went to call Romi, but his phone buzzed with a message from Nico.
“It’s Romi. She’s at the hospital. She needs you,” the message read.
Sebastian’s heart dropped.
 
 
Back at the hospital, the doctors had stabilized Romi, though she was still in pain. They hadn’t found anything too alarming, but they had advised her to rest and keep an eye on things.
Nico paced the waiting room, his anxiety palpable. He didn’t know how to explain everything to their parents, and he wasn’t sure what to tell Sebastian when he arrived.
Soon, the door to the waiting room opened, and Sebastian stepped in, his expression a mixture of worry and relief when he saw Romi safe.
“What happened?” he asked, his voice shaking slightly. He walked over to her bedside, taking her hand gently.
Romi’s lips parted as she tried to form words, but she couldn’t. The weight of everything—the pregnancy, the bleeding, and the revelation she had been preparing for—was almost too much.
Finally, she gathered enough strength to speak. “Seb... I didn’t want it to happen like this... I wanted to tell them myself, but... I—I’m pregnant.”
Sebastian squeezed her hand tighter, the weight of her words settling in.
“I think it’s time, Seb,” Romi whispered. “We need to tell them. Everything.”